Our Prospects
by Blame it on the Reine
Summary: After news of the Tanker Incident reaches the ears of Meryl she realizes that she could never let go.Meryl can't forgive herself for failing Snake. Snake isn't dead but as far as he is concerned his love for Meryl is. SnakexMeryl R&R!
1. Rain

Disclaimer: Metal Gear Solid and all the characters are sole property of Hideo Kojima and Konami. I'm only borrowing them for a while! .

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**Chapter one: Rain**

Rain fell gracefully; it almost danced down above the cityscape. The tiny lights that shone in people's windows glistened faintly in the night sky, the full moon obscured by ominous clouds that vowed to punish the humans below with even more rain. Snake found himself pondering if the rain would ever cease, even for a just a few days. Like most of his wishes it went ignored.

Snake ignited a cigarette with a match he found in his pocket as he wandered towards the sole window in his bleak diminutive corner of New York. It really wasn't an apartment, just a fridge, couch and a coffee table in the middle of four walls. The russet colored wallpaper seemed to be peeling near the doorway and the cream paint-job on the window was riddled with cracks. Snake longed for his peaceful, uneventful lifestyle in Alaska once again. New York wasn't his cup of tea. At times Snake would close his eyes at night envisioning the landscape, the pristine and virginal white snow awaiting the imprint of his huskies' paws. Alaska held too many memories for him now, and Philanthropy fell right into his lap. In a rare moment to himself he even scoured his brain to attempt to understand what kept him devoted to Metal Gear. It was some twisted destiny. He knew that as long as Metal Gear's mechanical re-incarnations existed he was cursed with the duty to destroy them.

Snake felt that no one was more sexually frustrated than him. He drank too much and masturbated way to often. " I need a woman." He thought. He really didn't have a type but he longed for someone feminine, tomboy's had too strong of a will but he had an affinity for them. Adorning his coffee table was his only companion, a laptop open to a news website, the headline slightly covered by pop-ups. Snake had managed to make front-page news. An onslaught of images came to mind but none had to do with Alaska or the tanker. What haunted him was Meryl. Snake could only assume she knew of his "death" by now. Snake pretended that what Meryl thought or felt held no meaning to him whatsoever. But somehow he just couldn't pluck the Meryl he met in Shadow Moses out of his heart.

The rain drummed against the window. His cell phone commenced to ring. Caution guarded his every action as he inched his way to the cell phone adjacent to his laptop. Snake was feeling particularly paranoid. He flipped open the phone revealing the reflective screen. It was Mei-ling.

"So when's the funeral?" Snake snickered congenially.

" You know it's bad to make jokes like that." Mei-Ling alleged considerately. Even when they had no real physical contact just the hum of her voice had the capacity to comfort him. Her voice put the same spell over him that Meryl's did. " I was really worried."

" I'm glad you were at least."

" Why do you say that?"

" No reason."

" Anyways, Hal told me everything. You've lucky to have him in a tight situation." Mei-ling's voice seemed to smile.

" Alright, enough about Octacon. After all I was the one doing the dirty work."

" Right, sorry it was just that you would have died if he weren't there."

" I suppose you're right but I don't want him to get cocky. After all he only repaid me for what I did for him."

" What was that?"

" I was the one who saved his ass in Shadow Moses."

" That's true. Anyways you wanted to know how Olga made out right?" Mei-Ling inquired in a quizzical tone of voice.

" Yeah…I do. Why?" Snake asked aggressively.

" …no reason. It's just, not like you."

" Not like me?" Snake said perplexedly.

" She tried to kill you."

" That's true but what would you say if instead it were Meryl who was trying to kill me?"

" I don't understand what you've implying."

" Sometimes Mei-Ling you have to beyond someone's politics in order to see a resemblance."

" You see a lot of Meryl in Olga, don't you?"

" I see Meryl and I in the same situation."

" You mean…?"

" Exactly what it sounds like. It wouldn't be the first time I've looked down the barrel of Meryl's gun."

" That's horrible!"

" It isn't horrible we just have two very different ideals. We're both soldiers."

" That doesn't excuse that she tried to kill you."

" Enough about Meryl. Tell me about Olga."

Mei-ling had limited knowledge of Olga's location or her status but it was enough to assure Snake that she was still alive. Secretly he was pleased that Olga would live, hoping to perhaps encounter her again. He admired anyone who could handle him or herself that well against him, although his complements were always caked with a good dose of ego on his own part, he hardly complemented his adversaries. Olga's father may have been involved with Revolver Ocelot but Snake was still a mercenary and if it weren't for Philanthropy he would have joined either side for the right price.

" I'd like to see her, Mei-Ling."

" Who?" Mei-Ling knew that Snake wanted to visit Olga but Mei-Ling abhorred the idea. Even if Snake had saved her life she still attempted to kill him, nothing changes that. Mei-Ling was especially prejudiced against her for working with Revolver Ocelot. Despite working with the military Mei-Ling lacked Snake's reasoning.

" I want to visit Olga. I assume she's still in town."

" I'm sorry Snake but I can't." Mei-Ling felt a tinge of jealousy towards Olga for sparking such a great fascination in Snake.

" Can't what?"

" Give you any information about that woman."

" Fine. I'll ask Octacon."

" Snake, have you gone mad?" Mei-Ling's voice turned stern " She probably has member's of her Unit keeping guard over her. Are you insane enough to risk going out in public and on top of that having to deal with member's of Gurlukovich's Unit?"

" Yep."

" You aren't in love with this woman. Then tell me why you find her so fascinating?"

" She doesn't fascinate me. I simply just felt like seeing her."

" For what? You want to pretend like she's Meryl?"

" Not exactly."

" Then what?"

" …" Snake halted briefly, he had no idea why he was suddenly felt the impulse to see her, " I don't know."


	2. Worse Things

Okay chapter 2! I waited to continue until I finished MGS3...I thought it would be interesting to write upon that also. Enjoy!

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****Chapter two: Worse things**

To Mei-Ling's dismay Snake had now found himself treading into "enemy" territory by setting foot in the hospital Olga had been interned in. She assumes a different identity but the uneasiness of the staff allotted that they had some idea who she was. Perhaps even someone who was at the tanker that fateful night.

He was off the battlefield and determined to see Olga; after all he had nothing to fear she didn't prove much of a challenge to him in battle. Thus he reasoned her not to be a threat. Snake had been mulling over that night, under the circumstances, which they had met. He figured Olga to be just like him, in the sense that it was useless to hold a grudge against anyone outside of the field of battle. So as any brave soldier Snake held a bouquet of white roses to rigidly to his chest and peered into her room. It was a small, white space with a sizeable peach colored curtain slicing the room down into two. Only Olga's bed was occupied. From Snake's position he couldn't discern if she was asleep or awake but his senses screamed "danger". Snake gingerly placed his right foot with in the room, being cautious not to alert even Olga of his presence.

Olga's face was childlike, serene in nature. She didn't stir but Snake knew that she was awake. Even by just the tone of each breath she took. He had learned to hear breathing from Big Boss, it allotted to a large amount of information, fear, anger, and sadness and when a human was tense or at ease. Her certainty wasn't tense but Snake imagined she must have felt a slight tinge of panic being in a country that wasn't her own.

"Who's there?" Her voice was muted and apprehensive of what lie beyond the big pink curtain, a bulky silhouette made its way surreptitiously towards her. "An admirer." The silhouette announced resolutely.

"Snake…from the…"

"Shh…fair warning young lady; you wouldn't want to talk about "that" here." Snake appeared before the foot of the young woman's bed, motioning to the door where a pair of white coats conspicuously trotted to and fro.

"My name's David Smith, what's yours?" Snake give Olga a nod. To snake's delight Olga caught on. There was a lot to be said about Gurlukovich, not all of them good things but at least he trained his daughter well.

"Sarah." She had given herself a popular but befitting name.

"Princess." Snake said quietly to himself.

"And those…" Olga's insanely blue eyes grew large, overcome with an emotion that was alien to them as she nodded her head towards the bouquet.

"These are for you." Snake laid them on her lap. Olga didn't react to them she only caressed one with her finger.

"I hate roses. White ones especially." She wasn't lying.

"Not a flowers and frills girl either." Snake sounded almost disappointed.

"Roses like this, I've only ever seen in movies, pictures. That's when I began to despise them. Your gift means nothing to me."

"Sarah and David aren't enemies." Snake smiled subtly.

"I afraid you are mistaken; an enemy is an enemy no matter what disguise he dawns."

"Sarah, here is a valuable lesson that a man named Big Boss taught me once."

"Shalashashka?!" Olga's voice heightened in alarm.

"There is no such thing as an enemy in absolute terms…he learned that from his Boss."

"You mean there was once someone above even him." Snake nodded in admission, "even him."

"Why did you come?"

"Maybe I felt like it." Snake lit a cigarette.

"Tell me something…is what my men saying true. Did you get us off that tanker? If so why did you?! To disgrace me once more."

"Three reasons, first is: you're decent to look at, second: you've got a kid in your gut, it's not his fault whose uterus he's in, third: you have a mission you need to complete."

"Thank you." Olga's face softened her eyes casting a grey light.

"I guess I'll see you around just wanted to wish you a quick recovery." Snake gave a slow smile and snatched the bouquet from Olga's lap.

"Wait!" Olga had broken a smile. "Please leave them here."

A gust blew past Central Park scattering deadfall leaves along the dead landscape. A lofty redhead paced her way through the park, the dried grass crunching beneath her every step. Her pulse quickened as her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She knewwho it was, the boss. She quenched it between her fingers and steadily pried it open. The display showed that her intuition was correct, it was her.

"I have the position of Olga Gurlukovich."

"I'm pleased." The boss remarked snidely.

"You are very capable despite your youth…have I ever told you."

"Agreed, what are my orders?"

"Find her, interrogate her, but don't alarm her. We're not working for this government so I really have no intention of helping them or precious "Mother Russia" out."

"What's the topic of conversation?"

"Ask her about the Tanker Incident…I'm very interested in finding that "clone", understood."

" Me too…"


	3. Red

I suck at updating! Forgive me you guys but I've been so occupied that I had to push this story to the bottom of my priority list. Thanks for the kind reviews so far!

**Chapter 3: Red **

"Red," The boss drew a breath, "Sergei was at the tanker that night."

"Have you had any contact with him?"Meryl inquired. Red was her codenamed assigned to her by The Boss...she wasn't fond of it at all.

"No. The man is dead, but his daughter…she still lives."

"You sound almost…happy."

"Happy! If the whole unit isn't out of the way than everything we've done has been for naught. I know Olga she won't just abandon her unit, even if it kills her and her brat." Meryl digested this for a while before beginning a new line of questioning. It was something that had been bothering her although she struggled to keep it to herself.

"Who is the father?" Meryl asked not expecting much of a response.

"Who-is-the-father? Any particular reason why you would like to know."

"No reason. It's just odd." Meryl lied composedly.

"If you are asking because you saw Snake paying her a "congenial" visit, I have serious doubts about his paternity. Although it is peculiar that Olga got pregnant. Her father is a devout member of his Church not to mention a Colonel. You can imagine the amount of discipline she had to endure. She hardly had a childhood much less experience with children."

"It's not that difficult to imagine."

"You're saying this because of your father?" The Boss was strangely sympathetic. All she knew about The Boss's relationship with her own father was that he had been taken prisoner in WWII. It must have caused some shallow crater in The Boss's heart ever since then seeing as how she was sensitive to Meryl's family life.

"Nah. My dad wasn't that strict I'm talking about my uncle."

"Yes…Roy Campbell, I can't imagine how you are going to explain your involvement with me to him."

"I don't owe him an explanation. It's not like I live under his roof anymore."

"I know you…you're green…you probably feel ashamed of yourself, don't you?"

"Green! What makes you figure that?"Meryl hated more than anything to be labeled green.

"You are young, therefore emotional and by that logic you are green. You can't hide the fact that you still care for old Roy, he is of course family. As I've advised you before it's best to keep your family affairs away from the battlefield. Forget about where your father's and uncle's loyalties once lay and develop your own convictions."

"Your logic must be failing. I do have my own convictions…otherwise I wouldn't be wasting my time for this!"

"No need to overreact. That behavior problem of yours is precisely why you are still green. Control yourself better next time…get to work. You have a date with Olga. "

"Fuck you."

"Another thing…don't worry about old Uncle Campbell, I won't tell him what a bad girl you've been." The line went dead and so did Red's expression.

Meryl or "Red" and The Boss weren't complete opposites; both were extraordinary strong, motivated and impulsive women. Not the sort of woman who could ever be happy with what they were given in life and definitely not happy in a traditional setting. They were women built for what they did best. They ideals however were another story; Red still believed there was hope for people whereas The Boss didn't. For this discrepancy arose their dislike of one another but also gave fruit to a mutual respect.

Her cell phone once again vibrated in her coat pocket.

"What!"Meryl wasn't in a pleasant mood after her conversation with the boss...not that anyone would be in a pleasurable mood.

"I got that info you wanted." It was Nita, The Boss's right hand woman. "Sorry to have bothered you. I know The Boss has you occupied."

"It isn't your fault. She's just a bitch."

"I won't tell her you said that." Nita replied holding back an impending chuckle." Guess what I have in my hand?"

"Let me guess…your two weeks notice." Meryl wasn't entirely committed to the big mystery. She wasn't a fan of mind games.

"Oh Meryl! Come on you must remember!" Nita was the only person who liked to refer toher by "Meryl" while she was working.

Nita and Meryl were never close friends but they also didn't have a typical relationship. Meryl had only seen her in person on one or two occasions accompanied of course by The Boss.

"I'm not in the mood," Meryl smeared her hand across her forehead, "My day is already pretty shot."

"Well don't make plans for tonight."

"Why?"

"Because knowing you…after you hear this you won't want to."

"You have my attention." Meryl's hazel eyes flashed.

"THE address."

"Are you sure!" Meryl said with a cautioned arousal.

"Yes don't forget that finding missing persons is my specialty." Nita sounded foolishly proud of her achievement.

"You must be bored today." Meryl jested tearing a shred of paper from her prescription sheet and whipping out a pen."

"So I guess this means you won't be visiting Olga?"

"Don't worry I'm still going to pay her a little visit but this is one of those extracurricular activities." She said biting off the cap of her pen and preparing to write down the address.

"The Boss is going to be very sore when she finds out you've been paying visits to Snake." Nita warned a tinge of delight in the pitch of her voice. "But I guess as long as she doesn't know you should be okay."

"You aren't going to tell her, will you?" Red clutched the phone against her ear and her shoulder clumsily waiting for Nita to recite the address.

"You should feel very fortunate The Boss hasn't executed you yet. That's all I'm going to say!"


	4. Arrangement

**Chapter 4: Arrangement**

"Snake it is imperative that you tell me where you are." Otacon didn't greet Snake with his usual wiry optimism; he continued "Please tell me you're near Olga's position".

"I'm approximately two blocks away from the hospital. Don't tell me something else went haywire."

"You must get back to her at once."

"Gotcha. Mind giving me a hint as to why this is such an emergency…I hate to be surprised." Snake spoke into his codec as he jostled his way through the infested Manhattan streets. He hurdled over nameless desk-jockeys, too entertained with their Blackberries and briefcases to notice a six-foot-one behemoth barreling down their path, but never too occupied to flash a little one fingered sign language Snake's way.

"She's in trouble. I managed to intercept a phone call in the area." Otacon briefed Snake, the chattering of keystrokes resonating in the background. "I can't tell you how I knew but someone has an interest in Olga. This woman goes by an alias…ever heard of an operative who goes by the name "The Boss."

Snake dimly recalled a conversation he had with his father who once held a similar designation "Big Boss." However that name in relation to another operative froze the mechanics of Snake's mind. Even with his extensive research of rebel and radical groups he had never heard of this woman. "Must not be too popular, I've never heard of her." Snake paused mid-sidewalk and was soon overcome by a mob of anal bystanders who took another second of their precious schedule's to glare irately at him but soon that annoyance became puzzlement as they observed that he was having a lengthy discourse with…himself.

"That's the thing that concerns me…she isn't linked to any groups. Not of the proliferation or eradication of Metal Gear and according to the known reports there is no way she could have known who Olga Gurlukovich was or where she was interned unless…"

"Unless…?"

"Unless she had some sort of inside intel and Olga couldn't have given it to her."

"Revolver?"

"Perhaps but now we have to find out. Not only do we have to worry about this woman but her "lackey" too."

"Martial artist? Telekinetic? Insane?"

"No. Nothing about her either. I only intercepted the first few seconds of the phone call. She goes by the alias "Red"."

"They could've picked something more original."

"Yeah…well that isn't our concern."

"You're right…I'm out."

Snake approached the hospital and scoped the entrance for anyone who seemed out of place. Nobody except the usual suspects abounded, nurses, patients with severe temperaments and the occasional doctor. Snake entered the lobby, varnished marble floors slimy with polish, an elegant mural shadowing the desk in the main lobby and a fleet of receptionists there to greet him once again. Snake hastened his way towards the elevators; he claimed the elevator at the far left.

The elevator stopped dead on the fifth floor, jerking slightly. The heavy doors willed themselves opened and as if by some unseen forces that collided and burned right at their feet, Snake saw a woman who he had sworn he would never see again. It was a meeting too out of place to be a coincidence; they both had a reason for being there. From the grimace on Meryl's face Snake knew she couldn't stomach the sight of him either but much to Snake's astonishment she stepped in as if his presence didn't deter her at all.

"Solid Snake," She acknowledged him frailly, "Looks like we're going to the same floor."

"Red, I presume." Snake held her wrist.

"How did you…" Meryl was unmistakably jolted although her expression allotted that she was half-expecting him to know.

"You obviously have never been properly acquainted with Otacon."

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt Olga. I just need to ask her a few quick questions…and then you could have her all to yourself." Meryl said snidely, insinuating that Snake had a deeper interest in Olga.

"I'm afraid you don't understand…I can't let you see her."

"And why is that?"

"Meryl, given our history I'd really hate to have to immobilize you, I really would. But I'm not above…" the elevator doors once again opened as Snake and Meryl both meet their intended destination. Snake held Meryl close as a slender blonde and a toddler boarded the elevator. "What floor?" Snake asked relieved that they had broken the tension, which had a heavy hold on both him and Meryl. Snake's hand loosened on Meryl's wrist and cuffed Meryl's hand, mirroring the blonde who was taking the same action to keep her toddler from wandering. Snake almost recalled how much of a child Meryl still was as her grip firmed against his, repelling and attracting simultaneously.

"Oh, we're going to the lobby." Her eyes kept wandering to the red headed toddler." Just out of curiosity what are your names."

Meryl and Snake glanced at each other stilly, both trying to find the response.

"Meryl."

"Dave."

"Nice to meet you both, it's nice to see some people have a little common courtesy left."

Meryl's expression softened, "It's not that hard, really we aren't very courteous."

"Oh no of course you are! I haven't had someone asked me what floor I was going to for ages." The blonde's jade green eyes flickered with childish enthusiasm over this small kindness. It was hardly a kindness, but more of a convenience for Snake and a hindrance for Meryl.

"Cute kid," Snake noted as the child struggled to free herself of her mother's arms," Yours?"

"Of course she is! Her name is Hannah." The blonde chortled as she controlled the toddler. "You guys in for an ultrasound?"

"What makes you say that?" Meryl asked hesitantly, as opposed to correcting her.

"Well you look pretty miserable and your husband has this glow about him, the kind that every expectant father has…I bet he's really excited! Plus you kind of look pregnant, although you still have a flat tummy, I'm good at telling these things-looks like we're at my floor!"

"Thanks." Meryl grimaced as the blonde scurried away.

"Well are you?" Snake joked prying her away from the elevator, there was an expression almost resembling a smile on his face, but not quite.

"Enough! Let go of me!"

"You tell me who "The Boss" is and I'll gladly release you."

"I can't tell you that, much less be seen with you."

"No, Meryl I'm afraid you can't have it that way. I know you were planning on paying a visit to me…" Snake carefully unfolded a diminutive piece of white paper he took out of her pocket. "This is my address."

"I wasn't going to pay you a visit. Don't delude yourself…you're the last person I want to see."

"Looks whose talking…dogs are more faithful than you!"

"Your dogs…yes lets discuss them. How you trusted them more than you ever did me."

"I was right to trust them…dogs don't abandon their masters."

"You said it! You're not my master, I'm a human being. Not someone you can control. Not a dog that stays put waiting for you to come and give them whatever spare attention you have! Not a dog that can just wait idly for your touch…even if it takes you a thousand hours or days! I'm not a dog…or as faithful…you're right."

"You knew who I was…"

"Yes you're right. I knew who you were and I made the mistake of thinking you wanted to take Metal Gear and all the memories you have associated with it and throw them away. That you would forget about it and just be happy with me! But I wasn't enough for you. That's why I left, because I felt inadequate next to your obsession."

"Yes I'm obsessed with it…I won't stop till Metal Gear stops being a threat to the world, to your children."

"I don't have any."

"But you will one day, if you want Metal Gear to be a reality for them…then that's on you."

Meryl's cell phone rang…she answered because she had no choice but she wouldn't have if she could.

"Meryl…did you speak to Olga." The voice on the other line was The Boss.

"I couldn't get the clearance necessary to see her." Meryl lied as Snake hung above her staring impatiently into her nervous eyes as they darted between him and ground.


	5. Your place or mine?

**Chapter 5: Your place or mine?**

Nothing was more attractive to Snake than an angry woman. Meryl was probably the most attractive when she was fuming. She introduced a passion into the air that drove Snake insane. He grabbed her shoulder prying her back alongside him. It was like being mauled by a lion, she could feel all his weight concentrated on her left shoulder almost as if he were trying to detach it.

"I'm not going!" Meryl announced rigidly moving from her position.

"You'll go." Snake alleged with a murderous calm dragging Meryl near him. His grasp loosened slightly; after all he wasn't trying to hurt her, even though the situation merited it.

"Really?" Was the thin-lipped response from Meryl whose eyes became misty with repugnance as Snake drew nearer, "All I have to do call for help …"

"You won't." Snake interrupted the tired term of phase, his face remaining deceivingly stoic as his voice softened "You'd rather die than play the damsel."

Meryl bit down on her lip, her teeth clutching the tender pink flesh firmly. "I won't tell you who she is." Her voice faded in abandonment.

"Then I won't ask." Snake's voice churning into softly as he spoke to Meryl; Merylresponded with an incredulous look.

"I don't believe one word." She said unconvinced, herdark eyes narrowed and hardened in place as she offered him a probing look. Meryl realized that if she hadn't gone with him she was probably going to be trapped in this lobby for a good long while."fine." She strained.

Once Snake had managed to break the thin barrier of resistance that always barricaded her he found it a very simple task to actually get her to cooperate. He knew that his spell over her was only temporary because all it took was the slightest provocation for Meryl to once again begin to construct another outer shell to completely shut him out and he didn't want that. Despite the distance he felt as she walked alongside him it was pleasant to actually be able to look back at her again. He had forgotten what it was like to look at a woman. Something about Meryl was definitely a lot more womanly. Her lengthy auburn hair caressed her shoulders like thick waves, radiating a scarlet aura around her. She stood taller, and the jaunt in her step was gone; now she walked like she was an extension of the ground beneath her. There was an attachment between her and her environment. Snake had forgotten how young Meryl was. "How old are you now?" he couldn't help himself. Meryl's face went blank with annoyance.

"Just don't ask me questions." Meryl's fists balled at her hips and after a few seconds "where are we going?"

"We're going to my place."

Meryl glared at him with murderous intent. She held him in her gaze for a few seconds hoping that something would strike him down. Hopefully, by some small miracle someone would throw a television out of a twenty-story window and it would find its way towards Snake's head. Meryl would never get that lucky and she knew it. "Your place?" She scoffed "Nice try."

"I'm the one placing the conditions." Snake asserted. "I don't like having witnesses around."

"You're right. I'd be embarrassed for anyone to bear witness to your stupidity." Meryl savored her verbal victory but no line, especially a weak one could faze Snake. Coolly he glanced down and pulled out a cigarette.

"Put that out." Meryl spat, the cigarette Snake lit caught her eye. It really didn't bother her in the least. She had been raised around heavy smokers her entire existence but the manner Snake would smoke would provoke the greatest of annoyance within Meryl. He would actually savor each one, as if he were indulging in them for one final time. Meryl reviled it. She remembered her father standing on the porch when she was a kid, a warm dewy haze coated the morning air as he leaned against the railing, his blue eyes unfocused; lost in the smoke. It was the lastcigarette he would have on that porch.

"I wished you had cared for my health this much before." a grey plume of smoke escaped Snake's mouth.

"Fine…smoke it. I honestly don't give a shit." Even though she did but she attempted to conceil her concern. "Just tell me how we're getting to your place."

"Heh"

"Don't start."

"Well first thing we're going to do is let me finish my cig. Then we'll walk."

"Walk, simple as that, huh? We just walk."

"I'm not paying for a cab. Your "Boss" may have big pockets but I'm working for myself."

"You know that I could just leave you here. I don't have to follow you anywhere."

"You will." Snake assured her "even if it is just out of morbid curiosity you'd like to know how it is that I'm still alive."

"I know how you manage to stay alive." Meryl retorted.

" And that's why you've tried so hard to find out? Why else would you get involved? If you had true resolve you would have stayed away."

"Poor guy, you really do think that somehow I'm interested in you. Forget it. This is a mission. I went to see Olga not you."

"Poor kid, you wanted to see Olga, not because you were told to but because you wanted to see exactly how much she was like you and let me tell you one thing; you and her are nothing alike. So don't waste all of your three brain cells trying to figure out why I'm helping her."

"So you're aiding those terrorists?"

"I don't think the U.S. government would necessarily catalog you as a legitimate operation either."

"Well not legitimate but at least we don't believe in causing environmental catastrophes."

"I understand…you're not above murder and extortion but you won't endanger the environment."

"They killed the marines on that vessel."

"No…they didn't kill them."

"Then tell me Snake…who did? You? It certainly seems like something you'd do."

"You're being a real bitch you know that, kid. Chill. Have a smoke."

"Get the fuck away from me. Don't touch me. Don't look at me and above all don't pretend like Olga Gurlokovich is your ally."

"Don't pretend like your "Boss" isn't up to something. Tell me who she is?"

"Huh…you definitely need to be schooled in interrogation techniques, Snake. You think I'm just going to divulge information because you asked."

"No, you're going to divulge information to me because I know where Edward lives."

"…"

"I knew it would come in handy someday. Have you got it all planned out?"

"What?" Meryl's voice was reduced to a whisper.

"That little family barbeque you two planned"

"How would you know about that?"

"So as you can see, Meryl. I don't need to be schooled at all. You however might want to bone up on how to protect your records."

"You wouldn't do anything to him."

"You're right. I wouldn't kill him. Although he'll wish he was dead after I get through with him. After I tell him who exactly you're working for and how you've been betraying the very government he took that bullet for. Yeah I know about that too."

"I'm not going to give in, Snake. You think I'm an idiot but I'm not. That somehow I'm the same woman you met in Shadow Moses. I don't fall for traps and I'm sure as hell not convinced that you would do anything to hurt me or an innocent person."

"And why are you so unconvinced? I'm a dangerous man."

"You aren't brave enough to hurt someone you love. Even if that person did betray you."

" Wrong. I'd gladly kill you to save you from looking back at your life and regretting it. I should have shot you in Shadow Moses if I had known what you were going to become."

"I'm haven't changed, you certainly haven't changed; nobody changes! We don't become anything other than what we were. The only factors that change are the time and the place."

"You're missing the point."

"Well it doesn't matter what the point was in the first place. Just tell me why I should go with you. Give me one good reason to flag down a cab, get in and go to your place."

"You've got to pick up your stuff."


	6. Silver

**Chapter 6: Silver**

They were soldiers and diplomacy simply wasn't their dish. Every phrase they uttered turned into a painful ordeal that they were forced to confront bitterly; words and wit eluding them both. Snake and Meryl had keen intellects but intelligence and impulse as they knew often didn't marry well. Meryl slouched into the cloth like upholstery in the cab, like a child she scarcely held in her disgruntlement, wearing a prominent grimace and stabbing Snake with incensed russet eyes. She was overtly furious at her loss of words. She wasn't a wordsmith; the study of the English language always bored her to tears. She had little love for dolling up sentences with elaborate words and pretty sounding phrases; always preferring the ruggedness of simple American speak but even this faithful system of blatant and honest language was forgotten in moments like this. This was a moment where she wished she had the ability to say something that might confound Snake. But she had forgotten that hardly anything confounded him, at least not anymore.

Snake darted over her figure with his eyes; an earthy American color that they were, faintly reminding Meryl of the discolored summer jade that covered most people's lawns, simple, understated and small. However they grew grey with weariness and the untold tales of an endless battlefield. Meryl began to notice how badly Snake had aged since she had last laid eyes on him. The corners of his unsmiling eyes began to crease sending three minute lines shooting from them. While wrinkles were yet to appear something even whose had happened to him, the luster of his skin was all but gone, he looked like he had taken a swift beating, regularly. She saw his face and thought of the person she met on Shadow Moses. He was beyond her expectations as far as physicality went. The man she saw in her mind looked somewhat like the man who was now seated beside her, rugged as the Alaskan wilderness, whiskers teasing around his jaw. When she laid eyes on him on Shadow Moses his was a vigorous, seemingly young, svelte man with grainy brown hair and disarming emerald eyes. More classically handsome than the legends portrayed him but perhaps she didn't prefer him that way, now that she thought about it, she felt in love with a man in the legend; the aging, whisker faced, man.

After about a good fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence Meryl's mind was filled once again with an observation. "Snake," with a soft annoyance in her voice she ensued, "I shouldn't be here and you know this. Listen, I think you should just let me off."

Snake sat up a little more erectly brushing his gloved hand against her chin, as lovingly as a father would to a child and replied, "No, I don't think so," Snake pulled at her chin a little more firmly bringing her nearer to his face, "You're in my hands now. So I suggest you sit still, like a good girl."

"Don't treat me like a child…and get your hands off me." Meryl offered him another cool gaze.

"How long are you planning to go on like this, it's getting old…real quick." He rasped, caressing her chin once more before releasing her.

"You're right, this is a little tiring. I can't even have a conversation with you."

"I think we've about wasted all the conversations we're ever going to have but nevertheless you want to be here."

Meryl couldn't deny that even with every inch of fight that she had in her body she couldn't quite escape Snake's allure and in part that was why she chose to follow him. He after all was once an important person to her and despite that rift which left any remnant of a relationship in absolute ruin she always would come back to him. There was a danger to him that held her motionless. He was so complete. A quality that she always lacked; there was never a sense of completeness within her. She always felt like she was being hounded by the legacy of her father…although she betrayed that at an attempt for individuality only to find herself, once again, compromised by a dream that wasn't really hers.

"I've got something for you." Snake pulled out a chain with silver, dot-like links and in the front of that chain two dog tags clinked against one another.

"What's this?" She asked while Snake placed it within her gloved hand, gently wrapping her fist around it. He looked at her devotedly as if he had fulfilled some sort of obligation to her. Her warm brown eyes burned in question as she glimpsed at the dog tags, reading the inscription. "These are mine." She stated, her eyes going to Snake. "You kept them."

"Yeah, you forgot to take them back from me when you left." Snake's voice had a pleading quality to it as he spoke to her, almost as if he really did want her to return to him. "They aren't of very much use to me now."

Meryl glimpsed at them coolly as if they were alien to her. She hardly recognized the name, Meryl Silverburgh. She was becoming reacquainted with it. She felt almost sorry for Snake. He lit another cigarette, that faraway look made his eyes a misty grey. It was that same dewy gaze that haunted her in childhood memories of her father. He was reminiscing, looking back on a distant time. Then she pitied herself because she was doing the same, she thought of the day that changed her life…when she met Solid Snake. After a pause Meryl began to speak but the words didn't materialize quickly enough.

Snake remained in a stupor, watching the swirling clouds of smoke dance within the enclosed space. A concealed pistol was revealed, a dessert eagle, her gun. Snake aimed it at her with not the slightest hesitation; he was going to kill her.

"You pathetic fuck." She said sternly but without any overwhelming emotion.

"Yeah, I am. I'm pathetic because I trusted you once. But then again I'm not the one staring down the barrel of my own gun."

"Give me a reason why I deserve to die and you don't."

"Nobody deserves a premature death."

"I'm not following…"

"You're boss is an amazing woman. How does it feel to be betrayed by her?"

"You're a liar."

"You don't believe me?"

"No. It's impossible, she sent me after Olga Gurlukovich. If she was aligned with you she wouldn't bother."

"A diversion, she arranged our meeting."

"No. Too many variables, she couldn't have calculated the precise moment of our encounter."

"I was looking for you."

"Why where you so astonished to see me?"

"I'm a good actor."

"You're much to blunt."

"You're right; I'm blunt, all the more reason for you to believe me. I'm supposed to kill you."

"Supposed? You aren't going to? Why back down."

"I wasn't planning to. I'm going to kill you after I'm done with you."

"_Done with me?" _ Her thoughts darted riotously catching up with the fear she not held present in her heart, and then something caught her eye…the glint from the dog tags which read _"Meryl Silverburg"._


End file.
